The present invention relates to a self-service deposit method and apparatus for receiving bank notes or other sheets such as cheques.
A deposit apparatus for receiving bank notes may be included in an automated teller machine (ATM). It is known for an ATM of this type to dispense bank notes which have earlier been deposited at the ATM, such ATM being known as a recycling ATM.
Known self-service deposit terminals for receiving loose bank notes (in contrast with notes contained in envelopes) subject the notes to a validation procedure. One or more of the deposited notes may be rejected on the grounds that they are damaged, dirty or forged, and the rejected notes are returned to the user.
This known type of deposit terminal has the disadvantage that the user must wait at the terminal for possible return of rejected notes, and may spend additional time in retrying to deposit the rejected notes. It is widely accepted that the personal safety of users of self-service deposit terminals is more at risk the longer the time they spend in making a deposit. Apart from the safety issue, the more time spent by users in making deposits the less efficient is the operation of the deposit terminal.